What's up with ''Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica''?

…or has MTV’s Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica transformed from a light, Kate Hudson-style romantic comedy into a painful, John Cassavetes-esque portrait of a marriage on the brink? The opening credits’ soft-focus shots of the happy past just serve to contrast the corroded present — instead of loving looks, the pair now trade sarcastic snorts, cynical eye rolls, and nasty barbs. And in a sick twist, Nick’s birthday present to Jessica — a cute Maltipoo puppy — has become his archenemy, making a mess of the shag carpet and his sex life.